Summer is a time of peace and relaxation, for the most part. It can also present some sort of chaos within it, which makes it very memorable. Summertime in film is a different sort of subgenre of the season itself. It’s where the camera and the people behind it come into play in order to create that same feeling of real-life summertime.
These 10 films are able to do so quite magically and in a manner that reflects the same emotional impact as those few months of the year.
10Aftersun (2022)
The 2022 filmAftersunis a great firstexample of the summertime feeling. Its very narrative is about a summer vacation between a father and a daughter, as their plans ensue throughout the film. Being set in a cheap resort in Turkey feels like a nice addition to the already magnificent summertime feeling that the movie inherently employs. More on the setting: it’s basically the quintessential summer location.
It serves as such a good backdrop for the themes of the film and the way that those themes stay with the viewer as the location stays with the earth. Underscored by the dreamy cinematography, the film stands out as a study into the memory of someone close to the audience, making it feel like they are a part of the film itself as a character.
The writing also adds to this feeling, as the characters are written very realistically. The young father is written as a great hero who is never not devoted to his daughter. On the other side, the daughter is able to see her father as this same hero and understand the love that he has for her. This film is nothing short of amazing and is definitely able to create that warm summertime feeling.
9Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywoodis the next film on this list, creating this sense of summertime. This time, it is mostly because of its visuals and time period of the late 1960s. The warm and inviting tone of the cinematography allows the viewer to create this feeling of summertime for themselves as they watch. A part of what makes that so is the costume design, which creates the visceral feel of the summertime warmth and breeze.
It presents itself as a memory of a time once past and makes the viewer want to be a part of that time period along with the characters. Exploring deeper into the narrative structure, it lends itself to the summertime feel by creating scenarios and set pieces that allow for the other elements of the film to come in and create input for the viewer to take in. Overall, the film is a great example of what’s done right in the realm of summertime cinema as a subgenre.
8Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)
Another great example of what it means to make great summertime cinema is that of the renowned classic,Weekend at Bernie’s.Serving as a comedy film, the premise itself is related to the chaos that summer can cause and the way it brings people together as well. The warm and sunny setting of the film with Bernie’s beach house is a great backdrop for the film and puts together all the pieces for a great comedy plot that families around the world have enjoyed and continue to enjoy. The characters chosen for the scenario of the film are rambunctious and ready for fun action. They are able to find that as their boss dies, and they are left to carry the body around to parade it around. This absurdity adds to the unpredictability of the summer season.
It creates such a sense of warmth within people that they almost want to experience something similar. The viewers themselves often find that they would like to be the characters in the film. Now, whether that’s correct or not is not for us to say, but it’s definitely something that happens to viewers from personal experience. Ultimately, the film is able to move more towards the chaotic side of the summer and the crazy happenings that take place during those few months.
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7Summer with Monika (1953)
Summer with Monika,a film directed by Ingmar Bergman, is a testament to the beauty of summer. As opposed to some of the other choices on the list, this is more of an art piece that shows summer as a work of a higher power. The beauty is portrayed by actress Harriet Anderson and woven into the film by Bergman. The stark performances of the characters in the film bring the feeling of summer to life. Being that the film is in black and white, it serves to illustrate the importance of creating color with visuals that aren’t color.
It is also important to mention how Anderson’s character is that of a revolting teenager who wants to bite off more than they can chew. Through raw sexuality and uninhibited emotion, the film is able to serve as a standout among the others, as it shows an art form that was not really seen at the time of its creation.
The depth of Anderson’s character comes with a slow pace that builds up and creates what eventually becomes the revolting and sensual character she is by the end of the movie. It also showcases working-class life and is able to put itself in the shoes of most viewers in order to relate to them and thus create a more immersive experience. The film is all about proving Bergman’s ability to break barriers and create cinema that transcends visuals and hits audiences in the emotional sphere.
When it comes to the summertime feel, all that was previously mentioned comes together in a beautiful harmony that Bergman has graced with her input. From the characters to the environment to the themes, this film is a near perfect example of what it means to create summertime cinema for viewers to enjoy.
6Thelma and Louise (1991)
Next on the list is the filmThelma and Louise.This film is a great summertime flick to watch and, in some ways, recreate in real life (of course, with none of the bad and violent stuff). This is where the trouble-making aspect of summertime comes into play. The ability to create a revolting sense of vacation through a crazy scenario is nothing more than what summer is about. The trouble making was so troubling that the film became controversial during its release. Many shared their thoughts on how the “empowerment” (not to say that the empowerment in the film is invalid) in the film is that of women wanting to be men.
Others were just angry and somewhat disturbed by the terrible crimes and violence that were committed by the two main titular characters. And others think itserves to be a queer allegory. That’s what makes it a great summer film activity. Active audience debate, action, controversy, relaxation, inspiration, and trouble-making are the essentials of a summertime film, andThelma and Louisecheck all those boxes.
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5Le Bonheur (1965)
Le Bonheuris a colorful summertime film that fills the heart with a desire for more in life. Containing several interpretations of the film’s meaning, it serves as a thoughtful piece to occupy the mind with for the summer. The film shows a marriage that slowly collapses into pieces and depicts its aftermath. It’s truly about love at its core—wanting to know more about the other person. It presents a reality so strong that it creates a hole in our hearts when the husband explains his affair to his wife, and she reacts the only way she can. It eventually leads to a distraught end for the wife, which will not be spoiled here.
The film, in and of itself, is able to create a conversation about female subjectivity like no other. It raises the question of whether women’s experiences are meant to be told, and as the years have passed, it has been proven that they definitely should be. It also raises questions about the effects of codependency in a relationship and the loss of independence. Truly a remarkable film,Le Bonheuris able to create a summertime thought piece for people to ponder upon and create their own head canon.
4Before Sunrise
While the entire trilogy can be classified as summertime films,Before Sunrisemakes its mark on the film scene with a remarkable entry. Creating a balance between the perspectives of the man and the woman at the time was a new way of writing. The entire writing process of the film is fascinating and brings up a lot of new techniques that were never really processed by writers before. Even the conception of the film’s central idea feels that way, as director Richard Lintlaker expresses how he came about it through the death of a woman he had met at a toy store once.
As a summer film, it checks all the boxes mentioned earlier withThelma and Louise.Set with Europe as the backdrop, it oozes a sense of vacation and getting away from the normalities of life to get to somewhere new. It succeeded due to its naturalistic feel and ability to make the audience feel wanted and let in on this magnificent piece of storytelling. It also ended upspawning a lot of moviesfor fans of the trilogy. Ultimately, it was able to create a stir in the realm of romantic comedies that would stand the test of time with two ensuing sequels.
3L’avventura (1960)
Known as thefilm where nothing happens,L’avventurapresents itself as the eighth entry in this list as it creates a feeling not of love but of wanting to pass the time. Similar to how most of the summer months are spent just wanting to find something to pass the time, the film feels very organic. Love is not included because sometimes it doesn’t need to be included. It’s more about the actions the characters take to avoid love and have it not be present. It does still leave the audience with a sense of despair, as it creates situations that lead to such a feeling. Known in English asThe Adventure,the film presents itself as one where nothing really happens, and instead, it follows characters in their monotone lives.
The movie speaks about the fragility of relationships and the tenuous way in which the characters interact with each other. As their friend disappears, one would think that the film would be about finding said friend, but it’s not. It’s truly about how people can be like rocks, part of the environment but not necessarily involved with the story at hand. The film is able to present itself as a study on the human form and its ability to be irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, which is a fascinating talking point to have to think about during the summer.
2Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Known to some asAnderson’s second-best film,Moonrise Kingdomsets up a camping spot on the list. It can’t be an aesthetic-type list without a Wes Anderson flick. Being one of the kings of such a unique aesthetic that are his movies, of course he would have a great summertime flick for audiences to ponder upon. This time around it’s more on the childish perspective of the summertime, still having the same boxes to tick like the others. And it sure does tick those boxes as the film revolves around two shy kids trying to get to know each other and eventually fall in love.
Nothing more summer than that, right? The soothing colors and cinematography help this film skyrocket itself into stardom. It also serves as a different type of coming-of-age film, as the two main kids act like they are mature, but still maintaining a good amount of innocence within them that makes them kids. Overall, the film succeeds in creating a sense of wonder and intrigue as to how a summer should be and how far one is willing to go to tick those boxes.
1Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
Alfonso Cuarón’sY Tu Mama Tambienis last on this list, but definitely not the least. The film explores great topics like the ones we’ve seen with the other films, such as self-discovery and desire. This film is last because it serves as a culmination of what this article has been talking about. It brings up the same themes while still maintaining its uniqueness, and thus creates a wonderful summertime experience for audiences to behold. It revolves around a road trip between three teenagers who are coincidentally in a love triangle and end up discovering things about themselves emotionally and deep within themselves. It’s the usual trip that comes with adolescence during the summer and landed itself to be a box office hit in Mexico. It served as the film thatchanged everythingfor the Mexican box office and for Cuarón. Overall, the film serves to be a great generational reminder of those trips taken in adolescence that mark the audience for life.
These 10 films have a spur of the moment magic in them that many have been unable to replicate. The summertime feeling is that of chaos, but also of tranquility and peace. It’s definitely hard to match that feeling, but some have been able to through the power of film making, and they should be applauded for it.
